NFL Picks - Bills have talent, but is it enough to make the playoffs
Online betting fans are studying NFL betting lines and preparing their football picks for the '08 season. Soon, they'll be calling up their offshore sportsbook, and one team they might want to give a hard look at is the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo finished below .500 a year ago, but that doesn't mean the team is in dire straights. True, they remain underdogs in the AFC East to the New England Patriots, but the Bills showed signs of serious progress last season.
We're betting you can count on an improved, active defence. Buffalo was very middle of the pack in points allowed last year, giving up 354 on the season. But take away a brief mid-season swoon against Jacksonville and New England?when the Bills gave up an incredible 92 points?and their total dips into Top-10 territory. That 14-game effort is much more indicative of the talent in Buffalo than the implosion against the Pats and Jags.
Injuries played a key part in the collapse but the team is healthy now. Paul Posluszny is back after breaking his arm early in the season. The second-year linebacker was off to a great start in his rookie campaign and looked like a total steal as a second-round pick. He'll be a leader on the “D” this year. The line should also be very dangerous. Ends Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay are valuable and underrated. The interior gets a boost thanks to Marcus Stroud, a big, imposing figure acquired from Jacksonville. Throw in third-round end Chris Ellis and the Bills should have a nice defensive line rotation.
The secondary is young and talented. Terrence McGee held his own at corner and Jabari Greer was surprisingly effective on the other side. Top draft pick Leodis McKelvin will be a favorite to win a starting corner job, too. Either way, he or Greer will make strong nickel backs. Safety Donte Whitner elevated his play in '07, justifying his supposedly high selection at eighth overall as a rookie.
The biggest concern is whether or not the offence has enough juice to get the job done. You were a sucker if you took the over in Bills games last year, when they were averaging 15.7 points per game. There is potential there, though. Trent Edwards showed lots of promise as a rookie. And with Marshawn Lynch in the fold?though he was involved in a hit-and-run incident this summer; keep an eye out for a possible suspension?Edwards just has to be solid and protect the football.
Taking pressure off of No. 1 receiver Lee Evans was paramount, and Buffalo achieved that by drafting a massive target in James Hardy. At 6'6”, Edwards shouldn't have any problems finding Hardy on the field. Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish are solid back-ups who will create some problems when the Bills spread the field.
Does Buffalo have the talent to win a Super Bowl? No, certainly not. But these guys are scrappy enough to fight for a playoff spot, so keep a close eye on them early in the season when working your NFL odds and making football picks.
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand, and he was one of the few who gave the Giants a chance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Thoughts or questions?
